Hi everyone, this is my first story so don't hate. Hope you enjoy it.
Peace :)
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Entering the harbour's of Alabasta, with the boats and ships swaying with the waves against the docks with fisherman and sailors shouting about in all different languages was an exhilarating feeling. Moving through the rushing crowds, I couldn't help but feel the sense of freedom that enveloped me with each step I took. This freedom you could say wasn't something I was used to and I had only recently gained the right to it.
Yes, I was being hunted down by all sorts of bounty hunters and vagabonds as we speak due to an over-exaggerated bounty that was unnecessarily placed over my head by the world government but other than those minor facts, I would consider myself relatively fortunate.
I walked down the main street that was cluttered with people, street performers and stalls which I noticed sold all kinds of things. From fruit to fortunes, stands were propped in every corner the sellers bellowing about their products in hopes of drawing in buyers.
People were walking around shopping, minding their own business, chattering with their companions as they went about a casual routine one would assume they did on a day to day basis from their behaviour and appearance, but watching them made me laugh at the irony of the situation.
These people were on the verge of a civil war and not a single one of them seemed to mind it, as if the growing tensions that seemed to fester in the darkest corners were not occurring. As if the very ground beneath them was not about to flooded with bloodshed and battle. Either these people did not mind or did a really good job at hiding it.
My attention was soon caught at a stall that sold some sort of mysterious 'golden apples'; the pushy salesperson claiming these particular fruits would grant me a thousand years of life. Although it wasn't something that appealed to me, I could barely manage the thought of my own lifespan, let alone another thousand that would bring on, it amused me what people thought would bring in customers.
Just as I was about to walk off, my stomach gurgled at the prospect of food. Sighing, I looked around hoping to see an inn or a stall that would cater to my hunger when my attention was caught at a small tavern peeking out at the end of the street, the growing crowds momentarily parting to show the sign that stated they were serving lunch at this hour.
Having my destination in sight, I made my way down the packed pavement, dodging people as they tried to shove passed me. My annoyance was growing with every passing minute, as it seemed I wasn't making any progress in moving towards the tavern with the crowds moving against me. When I finally managed to move out of the stream of people, I had miraculously been pushed enough to the edge where there wasn't such a tide wave of civilians. I made quick work in walking towards the pale blue bar but upon entering, there was something that you wouldn't really find in a place like this. It was quiet.
Too quiet.
Then the whispers that unknowingly echoed through the pub slowly became louder as I neared the crowd at the back of the tavern where the counter was located.
"I think he's dead" A mans whisper was heard above the others as he spoke to the women next to him.
"I heard he was bitten by a poisonous strawberry spider" Another informed their companion in hushed whispers, as if too scared that the loudness of his words would somehow have an effect on the tense atmosphere currently hanging over the occupants.
"Wait... aren't they poisonous?" The companion that stood next to me asked in reply.
"Yeah"
Bloody hell, I forget how stupid people are.
"Someone should move the body before it infects the restaurant" The hell
"I'm not touching it" It's still a person not a freaking insect.
Hmm... wonder who was unfortunate enough to have died on this sorry day. I tried to push my way through the crowd to get to the bar at the end of the tavern, but as I moved closer to the back, the crowd only grew denser with people. I assumed that was where the supposed dead body was, but I continued to avoid the elbows that tried to push me back. Curse me and my scrawny self.
Once I managed to break out the crowd, I spotted the supposed corpse hunched over with their face planted in a plate of food, their body leaning precariously on the stool that threatened to collapse with the angle is was being bent at. At this point, I couldn't hold in the bouts of laughter that escaped me, gaining the attention of the onlookers that surrounded us.
"Why are you laughing?" A man in the growing crowd questioned and others were nodding curiously in agreement.
"Because he's not dead" I informed the crowd wiping my eyes of the tears that escaped them whilst trying to contain my laughter "How long has he been like that?" I questioned the man that had previously spoken.
"Nearly 3 minutes" the same man replied looking down at his wrist watch.
"Then he should be waking up in 5...4...3...2...1..." I drifted off just as the dead traveller's head jolted up off the plate of food he previously had his face shoved in.
"Whatsgoingon..." My stupid lovable brother spouted out, his eyes dropping as he turned to be faced by the bewildered expressions of every single person in the vicinity.
"YOU'RE ALIVE!?" Everyone screamed at him, shocked if not a little freaked out by the man who only stared in confusion to what had just happened.
"Huh?" Ace replied oh so smartly, "What's wrong with all of you?"
"WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT YOU!" They all screamed back with shark like teeth, angry at the worry the stranger had caused.
"Are you okay?" A random lady asked looking concerned as she neared his stool, approaching him in fear that he was ailed in some way.
Instead of replying like a normal civilised person would, without saying anything he grabbed the hem of her skirt and wiped his face which was covered in pieces of food. She ran away screaming bloody murder from the apparent perverted man who had no qualms with rising a women skirt, in public in doubt.
"And I thought you had manners" I sneered trying to contain my amusement and slight disgust at his behaviour. Hearing my words, he whipped his head around in my direction and upon recognising who was standing in front of him, broke out in the largest smile I had seen to date come from him.
"LANA!!!!" he jumped up hugging me in recognition. Really, this boy seemed to only regress in age with the passing years. The memories that flashed forward of the two of us brought a smile to my face as I returned the hug with as much vigour.
"Long time no see" I replied smiling softly, patting his back as he seemed to shake with all his emotions. It was understandable, seeing as we hadn't seen each other in what was coming up to 4 years.
"I'll say. I really missed you" He said as he nuzzled his head into my dark blonde almost brown hair, his arms wrapped tight around my body as he lifted me off the ground.
"Me too" I answered back feeling my throat tighten and eyes prickling with the tears that I refused to cry. It had been too long since I had last seen Ace, not to mention Luffy and the thought made me tighten my hold on Ace as if he was going to disappear.
"Well it's always nice to see such a touching family reunion" a deep voice sarcastically drawled from behind us disrupting our emotion-fest.
Ace looked up, his expression already twisted in annoyance but once seeing who the voice belonged to, his face hardened into a neutral scowl, gently pushed me behind him so that his body was half covering me. I internally sighed at his actions, it seemed that despite my age and very capable abilities of taking care of myself, Ace would continue to refuse to acknowledge it and would forever treat me as a child. Only my brothers could make me this annoyed in such a short amount of time.
Popping my head out from behind Ace's looming figure, I was curious to see who had spoken to us with a nagging feeling that the voice was strangely familiar. When I spotted who he was protecting me from though, I couldn't tell who was more surprised to see who.
Me or Captain Smoker.
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So what did you think of my first chapter? I doubt anyone would be reading this story but you wouldn't be seeing this message if you weren't. Don't forget to comment but please for both our sake's use something called constructive criticism and don't say mean things it is my first story so yeah.
I'm planning on updating soon and if I don't Then I'll update when I can.
~ Hasna